Parramatta prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard has laughed off suggestions that his halfback, Mitch Moses, is under the microscope to improve in 2022.
Moses was excellent in the back half of 2021 as the Eels season ended in an agonisingly close loss to the eventual premiers – but with the position of halfback on a contending team comes scrutiny.
Despite the pressure placed on Moses, Campbell-Gillard said his number seven is more than up to the task.
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“I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure on Mitch – I think he’s been fantastic in the last two or three years,” he told 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio.
“He’s obviously got a massive job and a massive task to direct and get us around the park, and I’m sure if he just does that job then everyone, pretty much from one to 17, will help him achieve that,.
“I wouldn’t say he’s under pressure or anything like that, it’s pretty much the entire collective playing group that needs to perform each week.”
The Eels’ window isn’t closing, but they do face the prospect of life without several key players, including Reed Mahoney and Isaiah Papali’i, from 2023 onwards.
“It’s probably not ideal that players are leaving. You want to obviously try and keep the best 17 or best squad possible, but you can look at the positive that other clubs are poaching our quality players,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“Clubs are wanting our players, we’ve basically got to fill in the roles of those people that are leaving and hopefully we can send them off in a good fashion.”
The Eels now go into their ninth pre-season under Brad Arthur, and are still chasing a trip to the preliminary final or beyond under his tenure. Campbell-Gillard said the pre-season had been difficult, in a good way.
“Same as always, he’s pretty brutal and very tough on how he wants his players to train,” he said.
“I think he’s done that really well this year, along with all our other coaches and our playing squad as well. Everyone’s ready to start playing some trials – you kind of miss it a little bit once it goes away.”